Series: Flowers in the Desert
Series: Flowers in the Desert
Series: Flowers in the Desert
Pour Out Your Heart
Psalm 62:8 ESV
Romans 5:6-8 ESV
Matthew 10:29-31 ESV
Jeremiah 29:11-13 ESV
Malachi 3:6-7b ESV
Hebrews 13:8 ESV
2 Corinthians 5:1-8 ESV
Trusting God is an interesting element in the life of a believer. As we look at it from a scriptural perspective, we begin to see that throughout time men (wo-men) have been reminded that trust is unending with God and it’s a day to day thing. In terms of communication, it covers the ‘macro’ and the ‘micro’ elements.
While I would love to be able to say I have the answers or one scripture that will comfort and help us to trust, I haven’t found that to be the case.
Long-term trusting in God does not come with a short-term plan.
Psalm 62:8 tells us, “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah”
While scripture does tell us to trust in God and remind us that God is there for us, we are not actually given a road map (per se) telling us HOW to trust God. We do however have scripture as our daily guide.
That may seem ambiguous, but experience has taught there is a reason for the ambiguity.
God is not a cookie cutter God. With God, it’s personal but it’s for everyone. That concept seems to elude and escape humans because…well, we are human. Romans 5:6-8 says, “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Consider if two people are praying for the same thing but they each are praying for a different outcome…what happens then? Which prayer does God choose?
The answer is both and maybe neither. God is not human. God sees the heart of the believer and the motivation of our heart. If both prayers are for good, God can answer both, but we are not given a timeframe. In other words, it could take a lifetime to be able to see the answer. Each and every prayer is heard and held in God’s heart. Each prayer is answered for our good according to God’s love. The best way to handle ambiguity is to write down your requests and date them according to the date you asked and the date God answered.
The movie, “War Room” is a great movie to watch about prayer. If you can, I encourage you to watch it!
Always remember prayer is personal. Matthew 10:29-31 tells us, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
I don’t know about you, but if you go bird watching in the United States (unless you live in Alaska) you’re apt to see a lot of sparrows. That’s why this scripture holds a key…even though there are many many sparrows, God sees and cares for every one. So, when it comes to humans God even knows how many hairs are on our head in any given second. Even if a human is bald, God sees every cell and tiny part of our bodies. God knows everything about us and God values us (loves us) more than we can comprehend.
So remember, it’s your plan, Jeremiah 29:11-13 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.“
So…back to prayer or talking to God. God hears every prayer. God sees us and knows everything about us. Nothing we think or do is a surprise to God. It’s a little silly, but think of it as a movie reel. God can see everything about us from the instant of conception to the instant we take our last breath. While the reel is ever changing based on decisions we make, God can see the entire reel every millisecond of every day. Nothing is hidden from God.
Life is also all inclusive yesterday, today, and tomorrow. We read in Malachi 3:6-7b, “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts.”
All of life is inclusive in God’s hands, yet God’s love for us does not change. Regardless of what we do, God does and will love us. Even if we step aside and deny the existence of God, God does not change. God is omnipotent. God is sovereign. From beginning to end (think of that as a sideways 8) God is Lord through eternity.
To put it in other terms, we are told in Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
God does not change through all eternity.
Finally, what is eternity? Eternal God is often difficult for humans to comprehend. There is an element of faith involved. 2 Corinthians 5:1-8 says, “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”
The Apostle Paul, a highly trained Hebrew Old Testament scholar understood.
We (all of us) may not fully understand, but we walk by faith not by sight. When we pray and we pour out our hearts to God, we do not need to understand all things. God knows our heart. God knows our past and our future.
There isn’t anything God doesn’t know about us.
What’s remarkable…really remarkable is that God loves us regardless of the choices we make. When we make bad or sad choices, we hide from God but God sees us and loves us anyway. Confession is for our benefit, so we will be restored and we will be able to forgive ourselves.
Ultimately, what God wants is to remain in fellowship with us…forever.
Today’s desert plant is green Purple Heart, found in the desert in Southern Arizona. The Purple Heart generally represents love, affection, and support.
Spiritual Practice: Go to God
Let God love you; receive God’s love, affection, and support.
In God, Deborah
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